How to Treat Children's Allergies Naturally

Some of the natural remedies for seasonal allergies are not safe for children and so we need to learn how to treat children’s allergies naturally by other means. I hate watching my sons suffer with puffy eyes and hot, dripping noses, sneezing their heads off. They feel exhausted and irritable. I feel terrible watching them and work hard to find ways to help.

My own experience growing up with allergies tells me that the pharmaceutical route only makes allergies worse over time. And, interestingly, doctors don’t all agree on how to handle allergies. My sons each see a different doctor (on account of their ages), and each doctor gave them a different recommendation. The younger boy got a referral to an allergist. My older son’s doctor shrugged and said, “Just start taking antihistamines the minute your allergies start up in the spring. Don’t worry about the food allergies.” Hmmm. People die from food allergies! I went into anaphylactic shock and was rushed to the hospital for ignoring a known food allergy. Needless to say, I ignored what he said. Here are some tips on how to treat children’s allergies naturally.

How to Treat Children’s Allergies Naturally

Diet

The most effective way that I have managed my children’s allergies was by eliminating foods to which they were allergic. Seasonal allergies almost always go hand in hand with a food allergy or systemic yeast issue. Doing an elimination diet with children can be challenging with their picky palates and specific nutritional needs. And, there are several possible ways to do it, including the highly restrictive GAPS diet and less restrictive road of just avoiding the eight most common allergens.

So, how does one go about doing it? I generally recommend first trying the less restrictive route. If you see lessening of symptoms, you’ve found what works for you. If you’re still seeing a lot symptoms, begin more restrictive measures. Other than eliminating the eight most common culprits, eliminate sugar from their diets. That means avoid foods made with sugar and sugary drinks, including fruit juice.

Salt Inhaler

Since children can’t really use the neti pot, they can benefit from inhaling steam or using a salt inhaler. A salt inhaler is much easier to use and cleanses not only the nose, but also the lungs. Each child would need their own inhaler, though, because of the possibility of contamination. Using it regularly will help keep their noses and lungs clear of allergens and inflammation.

Probiotics

Because allergies often go hand in hand with yeast overgrowth and gut issues, probiotics can be very helpful. Probiotics can restore the proper balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut. These bacteria play a vital role in helping your immune system keep harmful microorganisms (like mold) in check. They also help your gut to break down food more effectively so that less of the allergenic food particles get into your bloodstream and cause reactions. Probiotics can play a part in helping your child’s immune system calm down.

How to Treat Children’s Allergies Naturally with Local Honey

For hundreds of years, it’s been known that local honey can help you to reduce your reactions to allergens in the air. Honey made by bees in your area is will contain the pollen of the plant varieties that are in your locale. So, eating local honey will help your child build up tolerance to those pollens. The only downside, is that because of the composition of the honey, there’s a possibility that some of the allergens could be present. That means that as always, you should do a test to see how your child reacts before encouraging him/her to eat too much. And, remember, children under one year of age should not eat honey.